Combined moistener



(No Model.) A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. S. HARRISON. COMBINED MOISTENER,SEALER, AND STAMP AFPIXBR.

No. 540,253. Patented June 4, 1895 Inrenw 7' Rm mwh SQWMMM.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. R..S. HARRISON.

COMBINED MOISTENER, SEALER, AND STAMP AFPIXER.

N0. 540,253. Patented June 4, 1895.

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WWW/0W sylvania, have invented certain new and use- 50 the moistener.The roll K is covered with STATES if PATENT reins.

RICHARD S. HARRISON, OF MERCER, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO SOMERS M.

RUTLEDGE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED MOISTENER, SEALER, AND STAMP-AFFIXER.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,253, dated June4,1895.

Application filed December 6, 1894- Serlal No. 531,061. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD S. HARRISON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mercer, in the county of Mercer and State of PennfulImprovements in a Combined Envelope Moistener, Sealer, andStamp-Affixer; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of theinvention, I0 such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a combined device formoistening, sealing and affixing the stamp to envelopes inwhich theseoperations are performed in one as rapidly as they can be inserted intothe device, thereby doing away with the slow and tedious process oflicking or otherwise moistening the envelope flap and stamp and sealingthe same. Envelopes may be sealed without affixing the stamps, andstamps may be affixed without sealing the envelopes. I attain theseobjects by the mechanism shown and described in the accompanyingdrawings and specification, in which- Figure l is a side view of thedevicewith a portion of the base or water-reservoir broken away to showthe interior parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isan endview showing the method employed in moistening the flap of the envelope.Fig. 4 is a view of the stampbox, partly shown insection together withother working parts, some of which are partly broken away.

Similar letters refer to similar parts th roughout the several views.

The base or Water reservoir U is partly filled with water. The envelopeflap moistener P consists of cloth or other suitable material with itsupper portion covered with gum or other material to give it a slightspring and 5 held in place by theholderR and located in the angularincline y. The stamp moistener M is composed of felt or other suitablematerial and is attached to the spring N, the spring 0 preventing thestamps from adhering to gum and encased within the bearing L which isattached to the spring S the tension of which may be regulated by thescrew T. The flange V for guiding the envelope terminates in the housingV. Located within the said housing is the feed roll J which is alsocovered with gum and loosely centered upon the shafttsecured to whichare the pinions G and ratchet wheel 2'. The pawl 0 works in the saidratchet and is attached to the feed roll. The internal racks E arecentered upon the upright portion of the housing V by the screws e. Theslot G in the said racks has playing therein the screws Y which arepassed through the lugs h and their ends screwed into the lever O andserve to transmit power to the said racks. The screws Y may be held atdifferent locations along the slot G, so as to regulate the throw of theracks.

The stamp box D (see Fig. 4) is provided with internal flanges 'n thatserve to hold the stamps in the boxuntil removed. The plate or and pad wlocated above the stamps s serve to apply pressure to the stamps bymeans of the screw F which is attached to the extension lever B, thesaid lever being secured to the lever O by the screw a. Upon the upperend of the stamp box are the externalflanges a which serve to hold thesaid box in the frame b, which latter is hung on the screws Y, which areheld to the lever C, and the forward upwardly extending portion of brests in a recess on the under side of the lever B. The lever B is shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2, turned at right angles to its formerposition, to allow the stamp receptacle to be refilled.

The button A serves to operate the lever. The post H is secured at itslower end to the lug X. Upon its upper end is cut a thread and the thumbnut I screwed thereon, the said post passing through a hole in the leverG. The spring V is for holding the lever in place. The screw G serves tosecure the lever to the flange. The hole fprovides a means of fillingthe reservoir with water. The bot- 5 tom piece Z composed of sheet metalmay be soldered inplace. The dotted lines shown on Fig. 1 indicate thelever depressed.

m indicates envelope, m flap of same.

The device is prepared for operating in the too following manner: Waterbeing placed in the reservoir and the moisteners allowed to absorbmoisture therefrom, the screw F is run up and out of the stamp box. Bypulling the extension lever over as shown in Fig. 2 by the dotted lines,the stamp box may be removed. Place the stamps within, gummedside down,with the pad and plate on top. Replace the box and lever and adjust thescrew down onto theplate, care being taken not to screw it up too tightso as to allow some play to insure the easy release of the stamps. Thedevice is then ready for use.

To operate the device, press the lever down to moisten the stamp on themoistener and release. The envelope is then taken in the right hand andpassed along the surface of the reservoir beginning at the end with theedge of the envelope agains't the flange the flap passing beneath themoistener and moistening the same. When the envelope reaches the pointbetween the rolls the lever is pressed which operation forces theenvelope part way between the rolls. At this point the envelope stopsowing to the pinions having traveled the length of the internal gearsand the slot G being in a radial line with the center on the end of thelever the lever-descends with the stamp box andaffixes the stamp on theportion of the envelope which projects out under the stampbox. Byreleasing the lever it returns to its former position without moving therolls as the ratchet is free to revolve in an opposite direction. Byagain pressing the lever the envelope is carried through the rollssealing the envelope and moistening the stampfor the next one. Byscrewingthe nut I up or down on thepost H the stroke may be regulated tosuit any sized envelope. It will be noted, see Fig. 4, that when thestamp box presses on the envelope the end of the envelope forces thespring N down thus preventing the moistener M from wetting the 'underside of the envelope. In moistening the stamp the springs 0 beingdisposed at right angles to the flanges n a-complete flange is formedall the way around the stamp box until the stamp is free of themoistener thus preventing any possibility of the stamp adhering to themoistener.

Having thus fully shown and described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an envelope and stamp affixer the combination of a lever pivotedto a suitable standard, a stamp receptacle mounted on said lever, aspring actuated stamp moistener located beneath the said stampreceptacle, means for depressing the spring actuated stamp moistenerwhen a stamp is affixed to 2. In an envelope moistening, sealing andstamp affixing machine, the combination of a spring actuated levermounted on the framework of the machine, a stamp receptacle carried bysaid lever, pressure plates carried within said receptacle, andconnected to a swinging arm by a thumb screw, the said arm being pivotedto the lever carrying the stamp receptacle, and'a spring actuated stampmoistener located beneath the stamp box, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In combination in an envelope moistener and stamp affixing machine, abase portion, designed to hold water, a stamp moistener mounted onsprings secured therein, an envelope flap moistener located in adepressed portion of the said receptacle, the envelope sealing rollerLspring actuated and designed to frictionally contact with a feed rollerJ, a

stamp box carried on a lever as described, substantially as set forth. 7

4B. In combination, the roller K mounted on a spring S secured to thewall of the water holding receptacle, the feed roller J having a ratchetwheel secured thereto and mounted on the shaft 15, the pinion G on saidshaft, the dog (I, the segment racks E, mounted on the screws e andhaving guide slots G, the screws Ysecnred to the lever O and adapted toplay in said slots, the key rod B pivoted to the lever' 0, stamp box Dand pressure plate X substantially as shown and described.

5. In combination with the stamp box mounted as described, the flanges non the lower inner edges of the said box, the stamp moistener M mountedon the springs N the springs '0 adapted to rest "against the edges ofthe stamp, carried in the stamp box, as the latter is depressed againstthe said moistener, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with the base portion, the friction roller L carriedon the free end of a spring S, the screw T bearing against .the saidspring, the feed roller J, the pinion G meshing with the teeth of asegment rack E, the screws Y secured to the lever O and traveling intheslots G and designed to rock said rack bars, the spring actuatedstamp moistener and envelope flap moistener, all arranged and operatedsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signaturethis 13th day of November, A. D. 1894.

RICHARD S. HARRISON. [L. s]

In presence of A. B. THOMPSON, JOHN W. Bxnas.

